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The 2026 Legislative Session officially begins on February 17, less than two weeks away. Starting Monday, the House can start to prefile bills, which means House members can get bills dropped into the hopper — they will be formally introduced on the first day of session. Committees in both the House and Senate can start meeting, and legislative action will begin. With a tied House and narrow 34-33 DFL majority in the Senate, bipartisan cooperation will be needed to get anything passed this session. Potential issues the legislature will discuss include:
- Public safety and safety at the Capitol.
- Fraud, waste and abuse.
- Responding to federal government budget cuts and freezes for low-income support programs.
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KLOBUCHAR ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY FOR GOVERNOR
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After Gov. Tim Walz’s decision not to seek reelection, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar announced that she is entering the race for Minnesota governor. Klobuchar, elected in 2006, is currently serving her fourth term as Minnesota’s senior U.S. senator.
In her campaign announcement video, Klobuchar said, “These times call for leaders who can stand up… who are also willing to find common ground and fix things.”
Klobuchar was the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Minnesota. A lifelong Minnesotan, she is the granddaughter of a miner, the daughter of a sports journalist and a teacher, and was born in Plymouth. Prior to serving in the U.S. Senate, she was the Hennepin County Attorney. Klobuchar brings significant statewide name recognition and has already received endorsements from several state leaders.
Republican leaders have also responded to her entry. Minnesota House Speaker and Republican gubernatorial candidate Lisa Demuth said Klobuchar “cannot deliver the change that our state needs” and characterized her candidacy as a continuation of the Walz administration. Critics have also raised questions about how Klobuchar would address fraud in state programs.
Klobuchar’s entry reshapes the 2026 gubernatorial field and raises additional questions, including how the open Senate seat would be filled if she is elected governor. Under Minnesota law, the governor would appoint a temporary replacement until a special election is held to fill the remainder of her term.
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SPECIAL ELECTIONS
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Last week, two special elections were held to fill vacant House seats in District 64A and 47A. 64A was previously held by St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, vacant since she was elected mayor last fall. The race was won by DFL candidate Meg Luger-Nikolai with 95.28% of the vote. 47A has been vacant since Sen. Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger resigned to take her seat in the state Senate. The seat was won by DFL candidate Shelley Buck, running unopposed.
With the DFL retaining both seats, the House will remain at a 67-67 tie going into the 2026 legislative session.
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CAUCUSES AND POLLS
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Minnesota politics has always been local. It has also been the focal point of national news in recent months; something that Minnesotans certainly felt as they turned out in droves for precinct caucus night on Tuesday to make their voices heard on their preferred candidates. Republican caucus turnout was around 18,000 voters, while the DFL reported turnout was around 30,000.
The caucus straw polls, while not binding, give us a better picture of what the governor’s race may look like this year. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar solidified her position as the DFL nominee with 79% of the vote. 16% were uncommitted and the rest backed other candidates.
Speaker Lisa Demuth received the most support in the Republican caucus with 32%, followed by businessman Kendall Qualls at 25% and MyPillow founder Mike Lindell at 18%. No other candidate exceeded 1,000 votes.
In addition to the caucus results, a recent KSTP poll indicates that voters have not yet decided who they prefer in the U.S. Senate race. On the DFL side, the largest share of respondents, 26%, said they were undecided. Among named candidates, Rep. Angie Craig received 20%, followed by Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan at 19%. Former broadcaster Michele Tafoya led Republican candidates at 13%. Other respondents selected former Senate candidate Royce White with 7%, and Tom Weiler with 5%.
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WEAPONS SCREENING
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The Senate (SP 8.50) and Governor’s Office (EO 26-02) have implemented new policies regarding weapons screening at the Capitol Complex. There will be weapons screening at entrances to the Capitol and Senate Building, with locations to be designated by the Rules committee. Those with a Permit to Carry will be asked to show their permit upon screening and will be allowed to carry inside both areas. Permit holders will not be allowed to carry in the Senate gallery, however.
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RETIREMENTS
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The list of legislative retirements continues to grow. Recently, long-serving Republicans Sen. Warren Limmer (the longest-serving Republican senator), Sen. Gary Dahms and Rep. Paul Torkelson all announced they will not seek reelection. On the DFL side, Senator Tou Xiong announced last month that he will retire as well. You can view the list of previous retirement announcements here.
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